Text For Citation: 01 Item/Group: 172 Hazard: ERGONOMIC

Section 5(a)(1) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970: The employer did not furnish employment and a place of employment which were free from recognized hazards that were causing or likely to cause serious physical harm to employees, in that employees were required to perform tasks involving ergonomic risk factors (including, but not limited to, repetitive motions, force and awkward postures) resulting in stressors that had caused, were causing, or were likely to cause cumulative trauma disorder(s): a) Department 10, station 1 where one employee was perform- ing hand set name plate (operation #464), staple shell strip/rivet handle strap (operation #34/463) and apply tape (operation #169). This station operator is also responsible for installing the foam/lining (operation #465). The evaluation of these tasks indicate that the employee is exposed to ergonomic stressors including: repetition, hand/wrist contact with sharp edges, hands exposed to water/agent (vibration), force applied with fingers, one hand, both hands, from one shoulder, from both shoulders and by twisting, stoop/bend to fit work space, work space constrains worker movement, bending to reach objects, twisting to reach objects, reach behind body, reach shoulders forward, reach above shoulder, elbow flexion and extension, hand/wrist extension, flexion, pinch, radial deviation, ulnar deviation and rotation, finger push, abduction, palm pinch, pulp pinch, lateral pinch, finger press and medial grasp, and closed fist, pistol and pinch grip which are causing or likely to cause cumulative trauma disorders. The employer did not implement an effective control strategy to reduce or eliminate such disorders. The injury and illness records for 1989 and 1990 document a pattern of cumulative trauma disorders associated with this operation. While ultimate responsibility for correcting the hazard rests with the employer, given his superior knowledge of the operation, feasible and acceptable abatement methods to correct this hazard include, but are not limited to, the following: ABATEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS: OPERATION 464 1) Provide uniform anti-fatigue mats over entire work area or use shock absorbing footwear. 2) Provide adjustable work table. 3) Provide vibration dampening handle to reduce impact from hammering. 4) Reduce the number of job tasks to be performed to increase rest time. 5) Provide power tool for setting of emblem. 6) Maintain stacks of shells below shoulder height. 7) Provide sit/stand/lean option with adjustable work station. 8) Move shells closer to work surface (emblem plate table). 9) Automate conveyor. ABATEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS: OPERATION 34/463 1) Adjust platform height to maintain proper wrist posture. 2) Provide uniform anti-fatigue mats over entire work area or use shock absorbing footwear. 3) Provide adjustable machine. 4) Reduce the number of job tasks to be performed to increase rest time. 5) Provide jig for guiding shell onto the rivet machine prong. 6) Provide adjustable work stations. 7) Provide jig for holding shell in place for riveting. ABATEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS: OPERATION 169 1) Provide uniform anti-fatigue mats over entire work area or use shock absorbing footwear. 2) Provide adjustable work stations. 3) Reduce the number of job tasks to be performed to increase rest time. 4) Suspend and counterweight tape dispensing tool. 5) Discontinue the use of the 3M dispenser tool to apply tape around the edges of the shell. OR 6) Install adhesive application or glue guns as provided on other assembly lines. OR 7) Redesign tape dispensing tool to prevent ulnar devieation. OR 8) Provide jig to hold shell in vertical postition for taping with dispenser tool. OR 9) Provide rotating jig for manual tape application. 10) Limit stacks below shoulder height. 11) Raise conveyor height to level of work surface. 12) Provide sit/stand/lean option. 13) Provide conveyor between work stations. ABATEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS: OPERATION 465 1) Provide uniform anti-fatigue mats over entire work area or use shock absorbing footwear. 2) Use lighter, redesigned scissors. 3) Reduce the number of job tasks to increase rest time. 4) Provide automatic cutter to size foam. 5) Raise conveyor to be even with work station to eliminate bending. 6) Modify lining operation by improving adhesive application. 7) Provide sit/stand/lean option. 8) Lower foam stacks to below shoulder height. SEE ABATEMENT NOTE: "ERGONOMICS MANAGEMENT PROGRAM"